A slightly different type of reportage to my world of retro and classic car interests, I dipped out of my comfort zone into the foray of pre-war, supercars and vintage bikes in October 2022. I was fortunate to spend the weekend in Buckinghamshire to attend the Kop Hill event. The full story of the hill […]
Kopp Hill Climb 2022 Read More »
Toyota may have appeared to be a latecomer to the hatchback trend as the automotive giant tended to cater for their conservative customer base. The company did release a hatchback Corona as early as 1965 but the brand was still treading water in Europe at the time and the few that did make it into
1979 T130 Toyota Corona GL Liftback Read More »
Quite a few manufacturers were slow to catch on to the FWD Hatchback revolution, famously taking the likes of Ford decades to finally answer what Renault created with their 16 in 1965. Japanese brands were similarly reluctant in their approach, surprising given their ability to learn quickly. Mazda was one of the earlier far-eastern brands
1978 FA4 Mazda 323 1300 DL Read More »
Captured at the Practical Classics Classic Car show at the NEC in October 2022, there were dozens of low-mileage and original cars but one, in particular, caught my eye. It was one of 20 cars on the Pride of Ownership stand, one of the showcase stands at the show. A salesman had previously owned the
1981 Ford Fiesta Popular Read More »
After a three-year break, the showcase rally and motorsports event held in the confines of Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire came back to us with a bang. The main draw for many was the live rally car action, with over 130 cars demonstrating their prowess in the hands of their dedicated drivers. Several big names were
The Classic Car and Restoration Show is held every year at the end of March at the NEC, in which the focus is on the dedication and passion of the owner. The event is on for the whole weekend, and this year is made a bit more manageable by the relatively limited number of halls.
The Classic Car and Restoration Show 2023 Read More »
A celebration of cars produced at the Longbridge plant, this event was initially set up a year after the last car left the factory in 2006. Since then the nearby Cofton Park has served as the venue for the annual get-together for modern MG/Rover products as well as Riley, Austin, Morris, Rover, Triumph and Vanden
Pride of Longbridge Rally 2023 Read More »
Seen at the Classic Car & Restoration Show at the NEC in March 2023, the show has several focal points, but for many, the Footman James Barn Find stand is the one that resonates with visitors the most. Comprising of cars that have been recently discovered in long-term storage, I was instantly drawn to this
1960 Morris Mini 850 Read More »
Classified in the Kei-car class, a category that attracted the leanest of insurance and road tax costs in Japan, early cars in this genre were generally restricted to domestic sales, although the car was seen in markets as diverse as Australia and Holland. A more purposeful but somewhat ornate upgrade over the Fellow, the Fellow
1974 Daihatsu Fellow Max GL Coupe Read More »
The glorious Festival of the Unexceptional was held again at the picturesque Grimsthorpe Castle, which has settled as the choice venue for what has to be one of the world’s most anticipated and best-known events for unexceptional cars. This year’s show appears to have been the best attended in the nine years of the event,
The Festival of the Unexceptional 2023 Read More »
